Tekken Ascension: Part 1
by JunKing
Summary: Anna Williams has gone years without seeing her sister, Nina. After deciding to enter the very first King of Iron Fist Tournament, the two reunite under unlikely circumstances. Little does Nina know, Anna has a few secrets and tricks up her sleeve this time around.
1. Sisters

Chapter 1: Sisters

 _Ireland – 13 Years Ago_

A young girl laid in a garden of roses. Her long wavy brown hair rested at the sides of her face as she looked up to the sky above her. Her eyes were as blue as a winter lake, her skin a soft pale hue. Holding a rose petal to her nose, she smiled to herself as she imagined the clouds becoming various animals. So far, she was able to find a cloud shaped like a deer and one shaped like a turtle. She loved this garden. It was located within a maze of hedges on the property of her family's castle-like estate.

Often times, she would come here to be alone with her peaceful thoughts. The flowers always seemed to bloom beautifully no matter the time of year. Leaning her head over to her left, she watched a small butterfly dance happily over the bed of flowers. She could see its shadow through the petals as the sun beamed down upon her. Laying hidden within the roses always made her feel safe and secure. Half the time, her family had trouble finding her because the rose bed was taller than her when she laid in it.

The butterfly flew closer to her now, bringing a smile to her face. It was almost as if it had sensed her and wanted to offer a greeting. The little girl's tranquility quickly shifted when she heard the distant sound of a gunshot. The butterfly fluttered away from her as she sat up in curiosity. Before she could get up to investigate, she heard a slight crunch in the grass behind her. When she turned around, she met with the eyes of her mother.

"Anna, there you are. I've been looking all over for you."

"Hello, mother. I assume father and Nina are training again today." Anna stood up from her spot and dusted herself off, fixing her hair back over her shoulders.

"Yes, dear, they are." Her mother walked over and placed her hands on her daughter's face, smiling into her eyes while wiping dirt from her pink cheeks.

"Why doesn't father allow me to train with him? He's always spending time with Nina and whenever I ask about it, he tells me to go tend to the garden."

"Anna, my darling, I do not want you to be involved in the sorts of things your father does."

"But why is it okay for Nina?" Anna's mother looked to the ground before running a finger gracefully through her daughter's hair.

"You and Nina are very different, my love. I have asked your father not to teach either of you. However, your father doesn't listen to me very much at all. Besides, I have taught you in the art of Aikido ever since you were old enough to walk."

"Please don't coddle me, mother. It's because father thinks I am weak and that Nina is stronger than me."

"Anna, that is not true. Your father loves you both equally." Anna laughed to herself and looked back to the clouds, wishing she could fly among them.

"No he doesn't, I've heard him say so before in his study. He said that I was weak and that Nina was the future of this family." Anna's mother took a step back and looked at her with a stern expression.

"What have I told you about eavesdropping, Anna?"

"I'm sorry mother, but you know how much I love my mischief." Try as she might to be serious, Anna's mother found herself stifling a laugh. No matter how many times she told her daughter to mind her own affairs, she always found her way into trouble again soon thereafter. Picking a rose out of the ground and placing it over her ear, Anna began to walk towards one of the many hedge maze openings.

"Where are you going, my little scarlet lightning?"

"I'm going to go change my dress before dinner."

"Good girl. I will see you inside soon." Anna looked over her shoulder before leaving, watching as her mother began getting ready to practice her Martial Arts training. As soon as she was out of sight, she ran through the large maze as fast as she could, trying to be silent at the same time. Once she reached the exit, she quickly made her way to the wide field by her home. Finding a tree to climb up into, she pulled out a pair of binoculars that she had been hiding. Looking across the field, she saw her father, Richard Williams. He paced back and forth while talking to his other daughter, Nina. The young girl had her blonde hair tied back into a ponytail, a rifle carefully held in her arms. Several targets lined the area in front of them.

Upon further inspection, Anna smirked to herself seeing that Nina had already hit one of the targets in the head. Watching carefully, she observed as her sister proceeded to fire precise shots into the remaining targets. Each bullet hit its mark with almost expert skill. Her father clapped briefly and offered inaudible praise to his daughter. There was a time when Anna allowed her feelings of resentment and disappointment show on her face around the man, but she had decided that those days were long over. Instead, she watched him from afar, observing carefully while he taught her sister.

Before long, she realized that the sun was beginning to set, which meant that training would soon be over. Not wanting to be discovered, Anna descended from the tree like a cat and quickly disappeared into the tree line. She tucked her binoculars into her pocket and made her way home. Along the way, she made sure to cover up her tracks in case her mother or father noticed she'd been sneaking around out here.

Later that evening, nightfall embraced the grounds as the Williams family sat down to have dinner together. Classical music played in the background, a favorite choice of Richard and his wife Loretta. Anna laughed under her breath as she kicked Nina under the table. Nina looked up with a shocked expression, before gathering her composure and retaliating with a kick of her own. Unfortunately for her, Anna had already moved her leg out of the way. Nina tried her best to hide that she almost ended up falling out of her seat. Making eye contact with each other, the two sisters began to smile and laugh quietly together. They immediately stopped when they heard their father clear his throat and begin to speak.

"So, Anna, what did you do today?"

Before answering him, Anna carefully and gracefully wiped her mouth with a napkin and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I planted some more flowers and trimmed the hedge mazes a little, too."

"That's wonderful, darling. You are so good at taking care of the gardens." Anna smirked to herself and looked across the table at her father, who had yet to look up at her.

"But father, how would you know? You never come to see my work." The table fell silent as Richard stopping chewing and looked up into his daughter's cerulean eyes. Nina looked over at her sister in shock. Feeling satisfied with herself, Anna took a sip of her water and casually returned to eating her dinner. Her mother quickly intervened, trying to bring cheer to the air.

"Richard, you should see the beautiful roses she's been growing. I've never before seen such a vibrant red. Maybe tomorrow sometime, you and I can go take a walk and I can show you." Richard swallowed his steak and looked to his wife.

"Yes, Loretta, perhaps we should do that." Once he looked back to his plate, Loretta gave Anna a silent scolding look of displeasure. Hiding her true feelings, Anna got back to eating her vegetables and allowed the sound of Mozart to take her mind to other, more pleasant places.

The moonlight shone brilliantly through the glass in Anna's room. Looking at the sky, she counted the crystal looking stars and waited patiently. A few moments later, she heard the sound of her bedroom door creaking open. Glancing over, she watched as Nina quietly snuck in and closed the door. Smiling, Anna scooted over in her bed and lifted the covers.

"What took you so long?"

"Sorry, Anna. Father just wouldn't stop talking to me about today's training." Anna hid her expression as best she could, but it always saddened her that her father made it a point to only check in on Nina before bed. Changing the mood she was feeling, she smiled and tucked Nina in next to her.

"So how was it today?"

"It wasn't too bad. But the rifle hurt my shoulder a little bit. Father says I'll get used to that soon. What was that all about at dinner earlier?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I mean, you were being facetious with father." Anna chuckled at her sister's remark. Nina wasn't just a sister to her, she was her best friend. They'd been through everything together and more often than not, they were all each other had mostly. Shrugging, Anna started to braid her sister's blonde locks for her.

"I just feel like father doesn't care for me. He's not home often and when he is, he is spending most of his free time training you. And I wouldn't care but how come he never wants to train me?"

Nina moved to face Anna and thought of how to word what she wanted to say. Secretly, she knew deep down inside that Anna was always jealous of the attention she'd been given by their father. She didn't choose it but she didn't want to reject it either. All the training she was receiving made her feel stronger and she knew that one day, she'd grow to be just as strong as their father. She would protect their family the way he did for them.

"Anna, at least you get to spend a lot of time with mother. I don't really get to be with her all that often, but you do."

"That's only because father always takes you away to train all the time. Mother doesn't treat you any different, I'm just the one who's left behind. Either way, let's make a promise." Nina sat up straight and leaned in, as if about to hear a big secret never to be repeated.

"What?"

"No matter what happens, we'll always be there for each other. Promise, Nina?"

"I promise" said Nina with a smile.

 _ **"AHHHHHH!"**_

 _ **"Nina?! Where is mother?!"**_

 _ **"Anna, where is it? Anna?!"**_

 _Present Day – The United States of America_

Anna Williams, now a young woman, sat in a bar. Her red dress came just past her thighs, accentuating her sleek leggings and heels. With a sigh of boredom, she finished her martini and placed the empty glass on the counter. Smiling to herself, she glanced briefly over her shoulder and spotted her client approaching.

"Hey, Scarlet. Can I buy you another?" The man wore dark glasses and a larger hat, covering his appearance. Not fully looking over at him, Anna chuckled to and shook her head. With one more glance, she winked at him and started to speak.

"Just a tip, sweetie. You wearing sunglasses in a place like this, makes you look suspicious. Well, that and an asshole."

"Sorry, I'm new at this…so…"

"Job's done, sweetie. Your problem is dead and buried. Well…burnt actually. I take it you have the rest of my money?"

"Consider it deposited as of now. Thanks. Dress looks great by the way. Any chance you have any free time later?"

"Job's done. Pleasure doing business with you, hun." The man laughed and took a step back, heading for the door. Looking up at the television, Anna saw an advertisement for a global Martial Arts tournament. The prize was a large sum of money and the title of strongest fighter in the world. When she saw that it was female inclusive as well, she smiled and grabbed her purse. Leaving the bar, she walked out into the night air and headed towards her car.

"Looks like I get to go have some _real_ fun."


	2. Arrival

Chapter 2: Arrival

Anna walked down through the airport terminal and followed the signs towards baggage claim. Though it wasn't her only experience flying first class, the long flight certainly tired her. 'The complimentary champagne did help, though.' As she made her way through Tokyo International Airport, she readjusted her sunglasses and was delighted to fetch her belongings with minimal difficulty. Everyone around her was in a world of their own, barely seeming to acknowledge one another. It was very different from Ireland where smiling faces always followed her. If she were here for a vacation, she knew she would get tired of these people fairly quickly.

With her red and pink bags in hand, the young brunette made her way outside and looked for the nearest taxi cab. Before she could raise her arm, she sensed someone approaching her from behind. Turning around, she found herself face to face with a heavy set Japanese man sporting a cheesy grin.

"Are you Miss Williams?"

"Anna." The man sheepishly chuckled to himself, getting a bit red in the cheeks. Anna laughed to herself, finding his shy attitude to be quite amusing.

"Oh, okay Miss – I mean, Anna. My name is Ganryu. I've been sent here to drive you to the Mishima Building." With a sigh of relief, Anna offered her hand out for him to kiss, smiling slyly as he gasped.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now then, would you be a doll and take these bags from me? That was such a long and dreadful flight and I'm beyond tired."

Ganryu struggled to grab all her bags, balancing them carefully as Anna casually dropped them on him like a scale. Wondering how she carried everything to begin with, he cautiously led the way to the car.

"Anna, you sure do have a lot of possessions, don't you?"

"A girl's always gotta be prepared."

"You mean like if you have your woman problem?" Normally, Anna would be upset by such a remark but she was still a little buzzed from all the champagne earlier. Instead, she laughed and pointed at the small handbag draped over his shoulder.

"That would all be in that bag right there."

"You mean this one?" His face reddened again and Anna couldn't help but find him oddly adorable in a way.

"You're a little perv, you know that, Ganryu?"

"What?! I'm not a pervert at all! I just –"

"Relax, I call them like I see them. So where's this car of yours anyway?" Her jaw dropped when he stopped next to a limo and motioned for her to approach it. Ever since she was a little girl, she dreamed of having her very own limousine.

Ganryu nodded to the back door and then took her bags to the trunk. Before he could put the key in, he heard Anna clear her throat dramatically, as if trying to get his attention.

"Well, aren't you going to open the door for me? I want the whole royal experience!" Anna's voice was laced with excitement.

"My hands are full with your bags, Anna. I need to get the trunk open so I can –" Anna did a short hop in place and smiled cheerfully.

"That's okay, I'll wait for you! But be very careful with my bags, okay?" Ganryu swallowed his displeasure and instead flashed a smile to match hers. After placing everything away, he dusted off his suit and came over to open her door.

"Thanks, handsome!" she said as she kissed him on the cheek and slid into the limo. Becoming joyous again, Ganryu strutted happily back to the driver's seat. Once inside the limo, Anna couldn't help but to sprawl out across the luxurious leather seating, reveling in the chance to finally kick off her red stilettos. She stifled a yawn as she stretched out, feeling her back and shoulders loosen up. Sitting up, she looked out the window and gazed upon the various city lights that began to activate all around them. It wasn't long before she once again felt Ganryu's stare upon her through the rear view mirror.

"So what are the other fighters like? Have you met any of them yet?" she asked, taking her compact make up kit out of her purse to reapply her blush.

"Yes, I have. They seem like a tough group if I'm being honest. There's this other girl, I swear, she's so gorgeous. Her name is Michelle Chang."

"Hmph, I'm sure I'm far more beautiful than this Michelle whomever her name was! Well, please don't be too upset with me if I end up having to kick her ass, okay sweetie?"

"Well you know, Anna, I'm actually going to be participating myself! I practice the art of Sumo Wrestling."

"Ganryu, I never would've guessed. I practice Aikido which I learned from my mother. She was actually a world-renown Aikido champion herself when she was younger. That said, please don't be too upset with me if I end up having to kick _your_ ass, too."

Anna smirked when she saw how easy it was to make the man uncomfortable. Reaching over, she pulled a bottle of water out from the limo's mini fridge cooler and carefully took a sip. That's when the thought dawned on her. She found herself wondering, if Ganryu was also a King of Iron Fist Tournament competitor, why was he making rounds driving everyone else around?

"Sweetie, pardon my manners for asking so bluntly, but why exactly are _you_ the person picking us all up? Doesn't the Mishima Zaibatsu have anyone else to do that for them?"

"Actually, I work personally for Mr. Heihachi Mishima himself. I am trusted with many important tasks over at the Mishima Zaibatsu." As he spoke, Anna noticed how he sat up taller in his seat, appearing to be honored to be given such a chore. Choosing not to prod deeper into the man's apparent secretary life, Anna changed the subject.

"So this Heihachi, what's he like exactly?" Ganryu seemed to tense up at the question, which told Anna all she needed to know about the man.

"He is a very fair and just man. He's stern and all business, but he's done so much for the world already." Cutting him off with a laugh, Anna chimed in with her true feelings.

"In my experience, the more charitable you are, the more skeletons you have hidden away in your closet. Would you say that you agree with me, Ganryu?" The man paused, no doubt trying to find the right response. Sparing him the awkward silence beginning to form, Anna followed up on her thoughts.

"It's okay, hun. I won't tell anybody you confirmed that he's an ass. Speaking of which, mine is exhausted. Can you let me know when we arrive? I think I'm going to try and nap off this jetlag." Ganryu responded with a casual nod before rolling up the partition to give her some privacy.

Before long, Anna opened her eyes and realized that she was sitting in a tall tree. Not just that, but she was back home in Ireland as a little girl. Scanning her surroundings, she looked over the rose maze and over the hills. There, she saw her father once again teaching Nina how to shoot a gun. Every sound around her seemed to fade into nothingness. All she could see was her sister carefully aiming her weapon. She could see the yellow sun glisten through her blonde hair, the wind grazing against her purple sweater. And then she watched as Nina readied her index finger over the trigger. Just one squeeze and she would hear that familiar sound.

"Anna?" Ganryu's voice snapped her awake. In a moment, she found herself falling out of the tree and landing carefully onto the back seat of the limousine she was riding in. "We're here." Holding the door open for her, Anna stepped out onto the sidewalk and found that she was left breathless at the sight before her eyes. The building itself was beautiful and expensive looking in appearance, littered with golden columns and freshly polished reinforced glass windows.

"I'll take your bags up to your room. The Mishima Hotel is connected to the main building. Just go in to the front desk and ask to speak with Sayuri. She's coordinating everything alongside Lee Chaolan, Heihachi's stepson. Sayuri will explain everything that you need to know."

Nodding at Ganryu's words, Anna blew him a kiss and approached the entrance. Before she disappeared into the sliding glass doors, she turned around with a smile and cupped her mouth so that everyone nearby would hear her.

"Hey Ganryu! I counted how many pairs of panties I brought along, I'd better not find out any are missing! Especially my Victoria's Secret thong collection!" Ganryu choked on his own saliva and quickly ran to jump into the limo to avoid the stares he was receiving from all the strangers around him. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Anna gripped her purse and did her best runway model walk into the lobby. The time had finally arrived.


End file.
